We would like to share some testimonies and photos from a recent baptism here in Simbari. The entire baptism service was planned and carried out by the Simbari church leaders. There were a total of 15 who wanted to publicly declare their faith in Jesus. Below are some of those testimonies. So pull up a rock at the edge of the river and listen over the sound of the rushing water as these ‘men and women of Jesus’ share their hearts.
Introduction by Raymond:
You who have already trusted in Christ are going to demonstrate your faith by being baptized. So everyone listen as each person testifies with their own mouths why they are being baptized.
Noxi:
I say thanks to my God for sending his Son Jesus down for me, a sinner. When they nailed him to the cross he died like a sinner for my sin and took my place and I thank Him. This death of His was great and I say thanks to Him. He is the true God. I know that He made everything and I thank Him because He is truly great. This water is just an illustration. It will not wash away my sins. The most important thing is that when Jesus died on the cross his blood that flowed down was what washed away my sins, and I say thanks to Him.
Geyason:
I want to tell God that I am very happy that Jesus came down and died for my sins. Sin had already covered me but I say thanks to Jesus because your blood which flowed down from the cross has washed away my sins. In my heart I have trusted in you, Jesus, and I know that this baptism will not save me. It’s only an illustration. So God, I want to say thanks to you for sending your Son down to die. That’s what I believe.
Beveli:
Jesus came down and died and rose again for me. So I am illustrating that by being baptized.
Salot:
I am a sinner but Jesus, in order to take my place, came down and died to wash away my sin. So I know that by trusting in Him I will go up to live in God’s home. If I trust in Jesus who has become like my older brother, I will go up there. In this baptism of mine here I will show this to others. When I go down into the water it is like me going down into the grave with Jesus. And when I come back up again it’s like rising to life with Jesus.
Simbworaka:
Because I am a sinner Jesus came down to this earth and died on the cross. His blood flowed down for me and I have trusted in Him. I am illustrating that by being baptized. My getting baptized is not the big thing. It’s that I am following Jesus.
Nesa:
Because I am a sinner, God sent down His Son for me. I believe that He took my place and died for me. This baptism will not save me. Just my faith in Christ.
Rindila:
I say thanks to God for sending His Son Jesus to do the work for me. I am very sinful. So, knowing that what Jesus did was great, I say a big thank you to God. This baptism will not wash away my sins. Only by trusting in Christ will my sins be washed away.
Talis:
I want to say thanks to my God. Before, I was going around doing much sin, but His good Son Jesus came down and died for me. By trusting in Him, I will go up to Heaven. This baptism here is just to show that I have already trusted in Jesus.
Raymond:
“Ok. Very good. We will close our eyes and pray about these who are being baptized. Let’s pray. It is good, God. In this baptism of these, I thank you that they are thinking about the work that you have finished doing and about the blood of Jesus. Because of that these will be baptized in your name of God the Father, your Son Jesus, and your Spirit.”
Afterward an observer commented that he was amazed at the boldness and clarity of the testimonies coming from young and old, male and female. Please pray for these dear ones; that they would grow in their faith and continue to reflect the light of Christ in their families and community.
